Shadow Games
by dorina16able
Summary: Five years of peace have passed since the destruction of the ring. But now a new threat is slowly rising in Middle Earth with it's heart set on killing the Prince. New friendships will be formed, heavy sacrifices will shall be made in order to defeat the evil that is creeping back into the world. Legolas/OC
1. Chapter 1: New Threats

**A/N: I greet you, my friends :) This is a story I'm writing together with ashley44. The first chapter is written by me, but ashley44 added sme great changes :D Hope you'll like it. Rated T to be safe, mostly because of direct or indirect violence.**

**Disclaimer: We don't own LOTR, Tolkien does.**

The horse, a majestic stallion of such exceptional beauty he brought a feeling of joy and awe to all those who gazed upon him, galloping across the fields, which were bathed in the evening sunlight, had started to become tired. He was gasping for air and knots of sweat were visible on his fur. This could be because of the heat or because of the fact that he was carrying two riders on his back, either way he was a sight to behold.

The one who was sitting at the front, holding the stallion's reins, was a young man with long, blonde hair, sea blue eyes that were scanning the area and pointy ears- an Elf. Around his shoulder, as always, hung a quiver with gold-feathered arrows and a well-made bow. Wherever he was going, he always had his weaponry with him. For Legolas Thranduilion, the prince of the Woodland Realm, was considered by everyone the best archer of Middle Earth.

His companion was a Dwarf, whose axe was hanging by his side. He was clasping Legolas's shoulders with all his strength, afraid of horses as he was. A sigh of relief escaped from his lips when Legolas made the horse slow, caressing the stallion at the same time.

'It is not a surprise that he is tired', Legolas stated softly. 'He has been galloping for many hours now'

'I am glad you realized it' Gimli answered, rubbing his forehead slightly. 'I was starting to think that we would continue in such a speed forever'

Legolas let out a small bit of laughter hearing these words, for he knew very well that, if their destination was the Mines of Moria and not Fangorn Forest, he would tell him to pressure Arod even more. Ever since they had fought against Sauron they had been planning this journey and now the young Elf could not wait to walk through the mysterious forest for one more time, to talk with the Ents and to reminisce everything he had lived five years ago.

The same night, they settled down to rest. Legolas did not bind Arod, knowing that he would never run away. After making sure that his bow and his arrows were near, he lied down next to the fire, staring at the bright flames and singing with a low voice. Except his singing, everything was quiet around. Even the birds were not twittering and not a single breeze was blowing.

_The calm before the storm_, Gimli thought spontaneously and shuddered. He looked around, trying to pierce the darkness with his eyes, although he did not have the eyesight of the Elves. In a distance, though, he could see a shade, but he comforted himself that it was only an animal.

Two hours later, the fire started to simmer down, but neither Legolas nor Gimli wanted to stand up to bring more branches. In a sudden, the area around them was giving the impression to be full of enemies and threats and both of them had a feeling of suffocation. The situation became even worse when Arod started neighing terrified.

'What is wrong, mellon nin?' Legolas tried to keep his composure. 'What did you see?'

The next second, a sharp noise was heard and an arrow landed next to the prince, only inches away from his neck. With a gasp of surprise and while Arod was still in a fit of panic, the two companions jumped on their feet. With his elven eyes, Legolas could see a shade running away and, ignoring Gimli's calls, climbed on his horse's saddle and rode towards his attacker. As Legolas approached the threat he leaped from his mount to tackle his killer to the ground. With swift movement the elf was able to quickly subdue the dark haired man, and in a matter of minutes the man had been disarmed entirely.

'Who are you?' he hissed. 'What are you doing here?'

But the Man did not utter a single word, pressing his lips together and shaking his head. At that moment Gimli approached them, swinging his axe.

'Who are you, you traitor?' he yelled, lifting his axe over his head.

'Gimli, no!' Legolas prevented him. 'Do not kill him'

'In case you did not realize it, lad, this man just tried to kill you!'

'This is the reason why we need him alive' Legolas explained. 'What if he is not alone? What if he…he is working for someone?'

'Is it true?' Gimli turned to the man again. 'Speak and you will make things easier for all of us'

But, despite their hard attempts, the man did not reveal anything. In the end, the Elf and the Dwarf decided to tie him and bring him to Mirkwood, where Legolas's father, the Elvenking Thranduil, would investigate the case further.

'Who could be behind this?' Legolas wondered while he was walking next to Arod.

'It could be a maiden who admires you, my Prince, and you refused to marry her' Gimli tried to ease the tension, but stopped when he saw his friend's gaze.

King Thranduil's face was pale in the shine of the torches, as he was looking with hate at the man who was tied in a chair. He had already spent many grueling days in the dungeons and the only thing he had revealed was that the prince would never be safe, unless he was dead. Thranduil had tried any possible way to make him say something more, but without result. And although he was a gentle and just king, he knew there was only one thing he could do about the villain.

He nodded to the counsel who was with him and the two Elves left the dungeons with quick pace.

'What do you plan to do with him, my King?'

'I have no other choice but to sentence him to death. Let him be beheaded as fast as possible'

'As you wish, my lord' the counsel bowed his head with respect. Thranduil, though, was already in deep thought of other matters at hand.

'The thing that worries me is what he said about my son' he whispered and the counsel did not know if he was speaking to him or to himself. 'What did he mean when he said that Legolas will not be safe unless he dies? Who hates him so much to want him dead?'

'My King' the counsel started after a small hesitation 'could I suggest something?'

'Of course, tell me'

Only a few hours later, a large group of messengers left the Woodland Realm, with the purpose to travel to every corner of Middle Earth. Their orders were to announce that King Thranduil was giving a big feast in his castle in a month and, wanting to make it asmuch entertaining as possible, a tournament should take place. Whoever wanted to take part, was most welcome.

From his room, Thranduil watched as the messengers were riding away, smiling widely, for he knew very well that this invitation would bring many men in his kingdom.

**A/N: Alright, everyone, that was it for now. We hope you enjoyed the chapter and are waiting for any reviews and advice you want to write :)**


	2. Chapter 2: Round 1: Archery

**A/N: Hey again, guys, what's up? Ok, Ashley wrote this chapter, it's the feast and the first day of the tournament. Enjoy!**

**Glorelwen- Thanks a lot, happy you liked it so much :)**

**Raider-K- The original idea about the conspiracy against Legolas belongs to Ashley and we developed our characters together :) Hope you'll like the second chapter too.**

**Disclaimer: No matter how much we want it, neither Ashley nor I own the 'Lord of the Rings'**

A month had come to pass since King Thranduil's invitation had been sent to all corners of Middle Earth. One hundred men had come in response to the King's invitation, the group of competitors mostly consisted of just Elves and Men and, shockingly, two Hobbits. Even less shocking was the fact that no Dwarves were present, it was amazing how well they were able to keep a grudge.

"Welcome!" exclaimed the King, "Welcome to my home. I wish your stay to be a most pleasant one and I extend my gratitude to every one of you for coming. Tonight a feast will be held, a feast so spectacular it will be worthy of the Valar. Tomorrow shall mark the beginning of the three days tournament. There will be three events that you all must compete in, archery, hand to hand combat and combat with close range weapons of your choice. There shall also be three victors as well. Once our champions have been chosen on the third night, a feast to commend these great warriors will be held. Now, tents have been set up for you to use during your stay, go and prepare for tonight's festivities and ready yourselves for tomorrow, the first event will be to test your skill with a bow."

With that the King gave a slight bow to the group that stood before him and retreated to ready for the feast that was to come.

Later on that night, as groups of Men and Elves made their way to the banquet, all had seen that the King had been true to his word. This was a feast to rival anything in the Valar. Various types of food and drinks had been laid before their eyes and from the sight of things, most of the Elves had already partaken of such drink, for their was quite the carefree and untamed atmosphere about them. Elves had either been eating and enjoying a good laugh with their fellow kin or were out on the dance floor. Soon all the competitors had gladly joined the merry bunch in their drink and merriment.

Shortly before the celebrations had begun, Legolas had heard of two Hobbits being among the group of Elves and Men that answered his father's call. Having no doubt that it was two of the Hobbits he had grown to deeply care for, he sought them out during the celebration feast, knowing he would easily find them, surely to be the center of attention. And as sure as he was about hitting a target it had in fact been Merry and Pippin. Smiling and chuckling to himself he gently pulled them off to the side.

'My dearest friends!' he cried out while kneeling to embrace them both. 'Pray tell, what are you doing here. Surely you do not plan to compete in the tournaments? Granted I do not doubt your heart, but I fear you may be out numbered here" said Legloas, while looking slightly guilty for even saying such a thing to two brave Hobbits. But much to his relief both Merry and Pip had just started laughing at the thought of being a competitor.

'Heavens, no! Merry and I just came for the free food' cried Pippin in between fits of laughter.

'Everyone knows a hobbit would never give up the chance at free food and to catch up with an old friend of course' Merry chimed in.

'Very well, I suppose it best that you do not fight in the coming days, I fear you would frighten the rest of the men away' Legolas said with both smile and laughter in his voice. 'Come' he said, 'no friends of mine will be sleeping in a tent, come with me and you shall rest in the palace and join me in watching the tournaments over the days to come' Not but minutes later, the three had left the joyous crowd behind them and left for the palace to seek both rest, and for the prince solitude.

The next day had turned out to be rather interesting. The first event to win had been archery. Legolas had naturally made himself the judge of the event. The rules were simple, one had to simply out shoot the Prince. However a very impossible task, Legolas did go easy on all the men. There were three rounds. The first round was very simple, all one had to do was hit the center of the targets before them and as the events carried on throughout the day the both had gotten harder and with less men to compete against. Much to the King's surprise, there had seemed to be a sense, or feeling if you rather, of childlike behavior. What he saw before him was not that of men being proud and arrogant to try and prove their worth, but more of them forming bonds with one another as if they had nothing to win and nothing to prove. If they had not been up for their turn at using a bow, they were simply relaxed and engaged humorous conversation with each other, all but one. All but one was willing to converse with others. This one man, hooded with a cloak and mask was nothing but focused. Having already done extremely well at proving his skills with a bow, the King was intrigued to see how he would fair during the next couple of days. With that look of determination he knew this stranger, the man in the black hood, would end up going far, perhaps even to last rounds.

By the end of the first day, many had been felt as if they were beaten down, for the Prince had not gone too soft on the group of Elves and Men, challenging each person differently and seeing that they had all been pushed to their breaking point. By the end of it, only sixty of the one hundred men had remained and stood before the King, Prince, and two devious Hobbits.

'Congratulations to all who stand before me now' addressed the King. 'You now get to move on to the next round, hand to hand combat. Go rest now, for tomorrow shall be proved more difficult than what you went through today. We begin at dawn'

**A/N: Alright, folks, that was it for now :D You'll have the next chapter as soon as possible. We can't wait for your reviews xx**


	3. Chapter 3: Hand-to-hand combat

**A/N: Hello, guys, what's up? Here's Chapter 3, it has the second day of the tournament. It's written by both Ashley and me this time, we hope you'll enjoy it :)**

**ashley44- Don't worry, your grammar is fine :D**

**Disclaimer: We don't own LOTR, only the characters we create.**

As the Elvenking had announced the previous night, a few minutes after sunrise, the sixty competitors who were left gathered at the courtyard of the Mirkwood castle and waited for the hand-to-hand combat to start. Soon, Thranduil presented himself in front of them, with his son and the two Hobbits by his side. Merry's eyes widened at the sight of the strong men, but Pippin only laughed.

'Merry, we fought against many enemies in the past. What do you think, shall we try to compete against them?' he hissed in his ear, chuckling.

'I think I will be better if I only watch, thank you for the offer' his cousin responded, smiling as well.

'Good morning, my friends' Thranduil greeted his guests with a polite nod. 'I hope you rested well and you are prepared to face another challenge. As you know, today you will compete in hand-to-hand combat. You will be separated in three groups of twenty men and each group will have only two people competing at a time. In the end of this round, only ten will remain in each group, moving us on to the second round. Again, there will be only two people fighting at a time and in the end of the round only five will remain. This will mark the end of today's events, leaving us with a total of fifteen men left standing to compete with the close range weapons of your choice. The rules are simple. There are three ways for you to win. To be the first draw blood on your opponent three times, to knock your opponent out or your opponent chooses to give up'

There was silence for a few minutes, as the competitors were nodding, a sign they had understood. Thranduil pointed to the large, crimson sack he was holding and all eyes focused on it, for it looked very heavy and everybody wondered what its content was.

'Sixty stones are placed into this sack' the king of the Woodland Realm went on. 'There are three different colors: red, green and black. Each of you will pick out a stone, which will decide in which group you will go. After you are finished, I will explain what will happen next'

One by one, the sixty men made a step forward, put a hand in the sack and drew out a stone. Then they formed the three groups and waited for more rules. Thranduil nodded towards Legolas, who was holding a fire-red sack. The men who had picked up a red stone understood that this was concerning them and listened carefully.

'In this bag you will once again chose a stone at random, this time it will have an image on it. There are ten pairs of stones here, whoever your stone matches will be the one you must fight against. I wishyou all the best of luck'

Slowly, the men walked in an orderly manner to select the one stone that would lead them to their fate, either victory or defeat. They were more focused today, knowing the coming hours would not be easy. And seeing the size of some of the men and the intensity of the Elves, many had prayed to the Valar to show mercy on who their challenger would be.

There was one man in particular who put off an aura of pure dominance, as if he had never saw defeat. As if he never saw an enemy he could not crush. Not only was he intimidating in stature but his eyes were what frightened the Men and, even if they refused to admit it, some of the Elves. For his eyes, nearly black in colour, showed power, strength and something that they could not quite place. Either way, he was a remarkable yet frightening sight to behold.

As the pairings came to an end, each man sought out the one he would have to fight, some sighing in relief, knowing the task before them would be easy, others shaking with fear and anticipation. However, all were excited to test their skills against. One man named Aldon, had selected the stone with an arrow on it. Much to his disappointment he was paired with the one they had all been trying to avoid. The dark warrior, Kane.

'Looks as if I have the unlucky pleasure of being paired up with you' he commented, trying to give a mocking tone in his voice.

'Unlucky?' Kane repeated, sounding surprisingly calm compared with his wild appearance. 'How so, my friend?'

'If you have not noticed, you cause a great amount of distress among the others, who are surely relieved that it is I and not them who must battle against you' Aldon stated.

'That is not surprising' Kane answered.'I seem to have that effect in a lot of people that I come across. You see, Aldon, what self-respecting Ranger would I ever be if I did not invoke fear instantly upon those who looked upon me?' he completed his sentence with a light-hearted voice.

'So you are a Ranger? Well, that explains a lot of it then. Hopefully I will at least put up some of a challenge for you. I myself am a captain in the Rohirrim army. So I pray I can hold my own against you. Just do try to not ruin my face, I need to keep it nice for the ladies back home' he laughed.

And with that it was their turn to face each other in combat. True to his word, Aldon was able to put up somewhat of a fight against Kane, but in the end it was Kane who took the victory, with only the tiniest of scratches on Aldons face, just to spite him. Besides, all ladies love a good scar.

Later, it was time for the men who had picked a green stone to compete and they stared impatiently at their host.

'To group you into even pairs' Legolas spoke 'you will each be given a number, one through ten. And those of you with a matching number will be paired together. For example, two of you will have been given the number 6, the people that have the number 6 will then be partners. Any questions on how the pairing process will proceed?'

Seeing that there were no questions, Legolas continued with giving each man his number and ordering them to stand next to the one with the matching one. The two men that had been given the number 3 walked to each other, both sizing the other up.

'Greetings, my name is Fion' the one introduced himself, bowing slightly.

'It is a pleasure to meet you, Fion. I am known as Anar' his opponent bowed respectfully in return.

Fion was an Elf, small and with a light step. He should not be mistaken for weak, for what the elf lacked in size he surely made up for in strength and had many years of experience and skill on how to quickly defeat any foe. For this reason, Anar was not too quick to trust in his skill that would allow him to win, since he was not much bigger than his elven opponent, but he was smart and cunning. Not to mention that he had a wonderful way of being able to predict the thoughts and actions of others. This is why he had only a small doubt about the outcome of this, a small doubt that only lasted for a mere moment.

As their battle with each other began, Anar had gone easy on the Elf, allowing him to land in a few blows in order to keep the others from catching on to his beloved ability. Instead of beating Fion within the few minutes he wore him down, a rather big feat seeing as Elves do not tire easily at all. It was when Anar saw the tiredness seep into the Elf's eyes and sweat break across his brow he made his move. With swift and precise movements he was able to take the Elf to the ground in a matter of seconds, engaging him in a choke hold until Fion admitted defeat.

'You are a most strange, amusing and worthy opponent' Fion gasped for air. 'I hope to one day learn your secrets'

'Perhaps after all this is done I will share with you what you wish to know, but for now speaking of it would not do me any good my friend' Anar admitted with a slight smile. 'And I aim to win. But soon you will know all' He gave him a quick bow and left to join the other men who had claimed victory. Fion rubbed his shoulders and shuddered when he thought about Anar's dark eyes and the mystery his existence was reflecting. Shaking his head confused, he stood up and made place for the third group, the group with the men who had chosen a black stone.

'We were going to have some clever way of pairing you up' the Elvenking smiled. 'However, it seems we have an equal amount of Elves and Men here. So, to make things simple, every Elf shall be paired up with a Man. It is simple enough, is it not?'

Soon, everyone had quickly paired themselves up with the opposite race, though one had caused some speculation. The man who had been walking around hooded in a black cloak and face masked, had gone and stood next to one of the race of Men.

'Did you not understand the instructions lad?' the Man, whose name was Dorian, asked angrily. 'You are to go stand with an Elf, not a Man. But I can understand if you are frightened of challenging an Elf. Most young boys are' he added with a smirk.

'I promise you I am no Man' the hooded stranger replied without even turning towards him. 'I am in fact of the elven race'

'Do you care to prove that to me? We can not really see who you are under that hood and the mask'

While saying this, his hand moved to his opponent's hood, but the stranger removed it with a swift move.

'That is the point, my lord' he told him softly, but ironically. 'My identity is my own, if you wish verification you can ask any number of Elves around us and they will verify to you in truth that I am kin to them'

'Very well then' Dorian sighed. 'I am Dorian of Gondor. May I at least know who you are? Or reveal me a name at least. I prefer to know who it is that I am beating to bloody pulp'

'Well Dorian, if you must know. I am no one. Does that satisfy your taste of curiosity?' the hooded stranger asked and the amusement was clear in his statement.

'Clearly you must be someone' Dorian insisted. 'All I am asking for is a name and where you are from. Is that too much to ask?'

'Very well then, Dorian' the stranger turned to face him, looking him right in the eyes 'as I said before, I am no one. I am the shadows that lurk about you as you sleep. I am the embodiment of everything you have ever grown to hate and fear, and now you are about to face it!'

And with that the mysterious one said not another word, but patiently stood next to a startled and confused man as they waited for their turn to show each other now, in their own personal unspoken challenge to see who was the stronger of the two. In truth, their small one on one battle did not take long at all. Not in the mood to show any ounce of leniency or mercy, the Elf had quickly dispatched the Man, Dorian. Using very swift and precisely calculated offensive moves, the stranger had Dorian at a disadvantage and on the ground in what seemed a matter seconds. Dorian knew to continue would be folly after the display of skill and aggression he had just been shown and quickly admitted defeat to the Elf by bowing and stating with bitterness in his words.

'I will find out who you are and I will have my revenge for the embarrassment you have caused me' Then he stormed away to his tent to gather his belongings and attempt to release some of the anger pent up inside of him for letting an Elf get into his head.

'This now marks the end of the second day!' Thranduil declared joyfully. 'Every one of you have fought very well through each round. This now leaves us with fifteen competitors left for our last event. Tomorrow you will be fighting each other with the weapon of your choice and at the end of the day it will then be decided who out three victors are. Following, a feast will be held in your honour and in honour of those who were brave enough to compete. I bid you a good and restful night, you will need it'

**A/N: Alright, everyone, that was it for now. The hooded stranger appears again and has quite an attitude, hasn't he? Tonight you'll have the next chapter.**


	4. Chapter 4: Final Round

**A/N: Hello, hello, hello :) How are you, guys? Here we are again, the last day of the tournament has come, with battles, bets between the two Hobbits and the big question "Who will be the three victors?" The chapter was written by Ashley.**

**Glorelwen- Thanks for reviewing again, my friend :D**

**Disclaimer: Nope, nothing has changed, all rights of LOTR still belong to Tolkien.**

With the rising sun of the new dawn, the final fifteen made their way to where they would meet with the King to receive today's instructions. Unlike the other mornings, today it was Prince Legolas who came out to meet with them. On his right side, stood his ever faithful companion Gimli, and to the left the Hobbits Merry and Pippin.

'My father sends his apologies, for he had business to tend to and was unable to greet you' Legolas spoke. 'I will be overlooking today's events in his stead. Now, there are only fifteen men left standing before me. I will have you split up into five groups of three and, to make things even more challenging, three of you will fight against each other at a time until there is only one left standing. The five winners of the first challenge will be asked to step to the side and wait before they must compete again. Are there any questions so far?' asked Legolas. After giving brief pause for anyone to speak up he continued.

'In the second round, those of you who failed in the first round will get another attempt. This time you will only be fighting two at a time, and ,as before, the last one standing will claim victory for that round'

After another pause to allow everyone to absorb the information given to them, it was Gimli who spoke up. 'Whoever of you lucky lads manage to win the second round will get to have another go at the men who initially won the first round. You will once again be put into pairs and fight two at a time. This will leave us with five men left'

'Then the five of you will fight to the death!' Pippin screamed out out of nowhere. A look of sincere shock crossed every face before them, until both Merry and Pippin fell into a fit of laughter.

With a heavy sigh Legolas spoke to the group once more. 'I apologize again, these two love to cause mischief, but to anyone's disappointment, there will be no fight to the death. Instead, I will have the remaining five take into battle all at once. There will be three overall winners, as I am sure you have already been told. The deciding fact will be on who the last three contestants are left fighting. The first of the three to fall out shall claim third place. The second man to fall out will have second place and of course the last on still standing will the championship over the whole tournament. If there are any questions, now is the time to ask'

It was Kane who spoke up, giving a respectful bow to the Mirkwood Elf

'My Prince, shall we be allowed to use our own weapons or will they be assigned to us?' he asked.

Legolas gave a warm smile in return, 'You may use any weapon of your choice, but only one, so choose wisely. If you do not have one with you, then please feel free to use any of the selection laid out before you. Now, with that settled, let us begin!'

The first round of the day was over amazingly fast. In a matter of ten minutes, the prince had five victors before him, taking observations for any serious injuries before he sent them off to rest. All his eyes could find were a few scrapes, minor cuts and bruises, nothing serious. After further investigation, he found out the first five were known as Logon, Miro, Mindon, Kane and the Nameless One, as everyone had begun to call the hooded stranger.

'Congratulations on winning the first round! Now, please go sit on the bench to the right, for you will soon be called upon again' Giving a slight bow of his head, Legolas walked off to instruct the rest of the remaining group. But no sooner than he was able to get to them, he saw that Gimli had already had each Man and Elf put into pairs to begin fighting against one another once more. The second round, taking up a significant more amount of time, took nearly two hours to fully complete, but ,just as before, Legolas was now standing in from of both exhausted Elves and Men, checking them over for any serious injuries. Luckily, no one so far had sustained anything worth being serious. In this group of winners Legolas came to know them as Cevon, Anar, Atheo, Melo, and Arton.

Not even allowing a moment of rest, both Legolas and Gimli and quickly paired the winners from the first and second rounds and quickly had them dueling it out against each other, while the Hobbits in the back ground were making wagers on who could beat who.

'My vote is on that cloaked fellow there He reminds a lot of when we first me Strider' stated Pippin, but Merry had to disagree.

'Kane is scary in all type of ways, I doubt even a bear would want to quarrel with him. I place my money on the huge scary one!'

Another two hours had passed before the remaining five men stood before the Prince, all of them sweating, bleeding and desperately trying to catch their breath before being pitted one another. The last five standing were Kane, Anar, Miro, Cevon, and the nameless man. Not even checking for injuries this time, Legolas had them begin immediately.

The five faced off with each other, all sizing up who would be the weakest and easiest target to take out first. It was Kane who made the first move, swinging his broadsword straight for Miro's head, only to be caught off guard by Anar making a shocking move and blocking his attack, using one dirk to misdirect the blow and the other to draw blood on Kane's arm.

Soon, everyone flew into action. Miro, who had been using an ill fitted short sword was easily disarmed by Cevon and taken out of the fight, leaving only four. The cloaked Elf made his attack on Cevon, using three swift moves with his falchion blade. Not only had the Elf made draw blood three times, but took his sword as well.

The last three, Anar, Kane, and the mysterious Elf, battled against each other with all their strength. While the Elf was busy attacking Anar, Kane came behind him and gave a swift gashes to his thigh and ribs. The Elf now had been made bleed twice, once more and he would be out. Focusing all the pain and rage he had, the Elf used the hilt of his sword to knock Anar out completely, leaving it down to two, both tired, bleeding and exhausted and neither willing to give up. In a desperate attempt to lash out at the Elf again, Kane had made a mistake, leaving his left side unprotected, which his opponent took total advantage of. Using both swords in hand, he blocked Kane's desperate swing, sliced his leg open. It was the Ranger who fell first, leaving a bleeding, exhausted and extremely furious Elf being the overall champion.

'Ha!' Pippin exclaimed joyfully. 'I told you that strange person there would win. Now, pay up Merry'

**A/N: Alright, folks, another chapter has come to an end! Let's make a summary: Anar won the third prize, Kane the second and *drums, please* the mysterious, hooded Elf is the big winner! Everything simple, you think? Don't be so sure about that, mellon nins, teheheeeee ;)**


	5. Chapter 5: Nothing is what it seems

**A/N: Hello again, my friends :) After spending hours of role-playing, Ashley and I created the next chapter, which is full with overthrows. The hooded stranger has an identity nobody was expecting, which has...interesting results. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Alas, we don't own LOTR.**

The same night, a grand feast was held in the courtyard of the castle of the Woodland Realm, as a way to honor the three victors of a tournament everybody would remember. Even the men who were defeated were not disappointed at all. On the contrary, they were enjoying the food and the drinks, the music and the jokes with their kin as much as the winners. Merry, Pippin and Gimli, taking the chance to celebrate again, were the center of attention and entertainment, as they were laughing louder than anybody else.

During the feast, King Thranduil had announced what the victors would get as a reward. Anar, who was third in place, took a large purse with gold coins in it, Kane, the second winner, a stallion with chestnut brown fur and black mane and tail, while the nameless Elf who was first in place got extremely well-made weapons, a long sword and two daggers. Although he behaved with courtesy, he once again refused to take off his cloak and his mask, something that surprised the Elvenking, making him wonder what could possibly be wrong with him.

Legolas tried to have fun as well, but a shadow was covering his clear eyes, for he knew very well that the most difficult part of the case was still before them. He was feeling guilty inside, but he had realized that now it was very late to regret the decisions he, his father and their loyal counsels had made. While the feast was going on and, after exchanging looks with his father, he approached Anar and Kane, who were telling stories about their homelands. The two men stopped talking when they saw the prince approaching and bowed towards him.

'Pardon me for interrupting you, my lords' he said politely. 'My father and I wish to speak to the three victors privately, to congratulate you officially. Is it a problem for you?'

'It is more than an honour for us, my Prince' Anar replied and Kane agreed with a quick nod.

The two of them followed Legolas into the castle and in a spacious and simply decorated room. It was dark and the only source of light were the candles lit on the circular table. Thranduil and the hooded Elf were already there, waiting silently. Legolas sat down next to the king, while Anar and Kane did the same after bowing slightly. Kane looked with curiosity at his hosts, but Anar was giving the impression of being uninterested of what they wanted to tell them. His back was leaning on his comfortable seat and a peaceful smile was marking his face.

'My friends' Thranduil started 'first I want to congratulate you once more for your victory. These three days were very hard for all of you and we saw many brave men giving everything they have in this tournament. You showed a strength that is worth to be praised. However' at that point his expression became serious 'I reveal to the three of you that the purpose of the tournament was not to have a marvellous celebration with people from all corners of Middle Earth'

Anar's smile became a bit wider, something Kane hated him for, since he had the feeling that the third victor knew something he did not. The hooded stranger, on the other hand, had raised his head at the king's last words, although he did not say a word.

'What was its purpose then?' the Ranger asked.

'I am very sorry I hid the truth from you until now, but the situation is very serious. Only a month ago, someone attempted to kill Legolas. After interrogating the villain, he only told me that he will never be safe, unless he dies'

A loud gasp came from the side of the cloaked Elf, but he was still silent, waiting patiently for Thranduil to continue. Anar seemed worried, but not surprised.

'And what has this to do with us, specifically?' Kane broke the silence.

'I decided to organize this tournament' the Elvenking told him 'and have three victors. The first' he nodded towards to the nameless Elf 'will follow the prince wherever he goes and guarantee his safety. The second' he looked Kane in the eyes 'will travel in Middle Earth with the mission to find out who and why wishes Legolas dead. And the third' he said to Anar 'will stay here in Mirkwood, in case something happens'

'I still do not see how this our problem is or why we should help you' Kane insisted, raising his voice slightly.

'My son's life is in severe danger, in more danger than he was during the War of the Ring, my friend Kane' tears filled Thranduil's eyes, making him no longer look like a king, but more like a tormented father. 'He needs as much protection as possible and I was afraid my men would not be enough to provide him with this. I needed skilled men, strong men, with a gentle heart'

'With all the respect, my King, I do not have a gentle heart' Kane reacted intensively. 'And gentle hearts is not what you want on your side, if you fear for your son'

He paused for a few seconds and then he spoke again, this time much softer, but determined.

'I will do this. Not because you wish it, King Thranduil, but because I am a Ranger, a man of honor. And a fellow Ranger is a dear friend to your son. So I will help protect him with my own life, if I must. If you wish me to travel around to discover who behind this is, then so be it'

'I appreciate your honesty and you will have my eternal gratitude' the king thanked him.

'Even though' Kane went on with a sly smirk on his face and looking secretly at the mysterious Elf 'I may be put to better use by watching over the prince than this lad in the cloak. Tiny fellow he is and only cowards have their faces hidden'

'This man was hidden during these three days and it was his right to do so. But' Thranduil rubbed his chin thoughtfully 'I have to agree with you that now the time has come for him to reveal his identity, especially since he will look after the prince'

Anar's smile was so wide, as if he had heard a very entertaining joke. Kane wanted to ask him why he was smiling like this and why he was so silent, but his curiosity won.

'Off with your hood, lad!' he cried out in amusement. It is time to see who you really are!'

The stranger, without objections, removed the hood from his head. Everybody except Anar gasped in shock when they saw the dark brown, slightly wavy, waist-length hair and the gentle features of the victor's face. The Elf who would protect Legolas was…a woman. A woman dressed as a warrior and returning their looks without fear. When seeing her, Kane coughed so loud, that he spilled his ale all over the table. Her sight caused Legolas to remain without words. He was not expecting a woman to come out from that cloak so suddenly.

_No! This must be a mistake!_ he thought startled. _We can choose another of the last five. I will not allow a woman to put herself in danger, it goes against everything I stand for and have fought for! _

She, on the other hand, saw the reactions she was expecting. They were all staring at her surprised, Kane even ironically. Only Anar was not impressed, surely he had seen it coming. She then focused her eyes on the prince, whom she was bound to protect from now on. And what she saw was innocence, pure innocence. It was as if he was not a prince, but only a child.

_Be happy you will have me to look after you, then_, she thought inwardly.

'What is your name, my lady?' Thranduil asked her gently, attempting to lessen the tension, although his surprise was not lesser than the others'.

'My name is Callon' she responded simply, avoiding giving any other information about herself, waiting for them to speak.

'No!' Legolas exclaimed suddenly, making them jump, looking straight at his father. 'My lord, my father, there must be another way. There has to be, I beg you!' he pleaded him.

'Another way?' the elven maiden repeated before the king could say anything. 'I do not understand'

'Yes, another way. We could use Kane or Anar or even some of our own men instead. I will not needlessly put a woman such as you in danger'

'I am sorry?' Callon's voice was full of anger. 'I competed without using evil methods. I was hooded because I would not be allowed to fight otherwise. And I won, which means that I will complete my mission!'

'No mission was given to you' Legolas did not give up. 'If it is recognition you desire, I assure you that you have it. But this is dangerous and may cost you your own life. I will not have your blood on my hands!'

'Recognition? Now you insult both of us, Legolas, and you know this very well! I do not seek recognition, I am here because of honor, duty and because I want to. Besides' she took a breath 'are your objections only a result of the fact that I am a woman?'

'Of course they are' now it was Legolas's turn to raise his voice. 'Women are not meant for war, which could easily come to pass! I would be very worried about watching over you and that alone could get both of us killed!'

'I am the exception in this rule' the female warrior left a small laughter. 'I have seen many wars and terrors already and my blades have as much blood as yours have! And according to what I heard before, it will be me who will watch over you and take care that none of us will get killed!'

'Are the rest of the women in your family this stubborn?' Legolas sighed, shaking his head at the same time. As long as it was in his hands, he would never allow her to risk her life for him. He had disagreed with the tournament from the first moment and now he saw how right he was.

A shade of sadness covered Callon's hazel eyes and many minutes passed before she was calm enough to speak again.

'The right question would be if there are any women in my family. To spare your breath, I am giving you the answer at once. No. Most of my kin were killed during a war that destroyed my kingdom and the rest sailed for the Undying Lands'

'Forgive me, my lady, I did not know' the Mirkwood prince said, with feelings of guilt overwhelming him 'Please, accept my apologies. But do you not at least have anyone that would miss you if you were to perish on this mission? Surely that would be cause enough for you not to do this'

'The only ones who would think about me, shall I perish, are my enemies and the one who is behind your assassination attempt and they would not exactly be sad, would they?' the sarcastic tone was obvious in her voice. 'Even if I had, though, I always say that loved ones and duty must not collide'

'Father' Legolas said, sighing again and standing up simultaneously 'I leave this matter in your hands. This was your idea, after all, and this maiden is relentless. I will now take my leave. If you find that I am needed, look for me in the archery field'

Thranduil nodded to his son, who left with a quick pace. 'Gimli will never let me live this one down' the young prince uttered under his breath.

'I will go with him, with your permission!' Callon declared, willingly jumping on her feet as well. 'Since I am the prince's sworn protector, it is better if I start at once. You never know when the enemy will strike'

'Hannon le' Thranduil said sincerely and, after a small courtsey, the young woman exited the hall, leaving the king with Kane and Anar.

'Well' Anar spoke for the first time 'this proved to be much more interesting than I had expected. And before you ask it of me, I promise I will stay with you, my lord. I can be of much assistance to you in more ways than one'

'I thank you for that, my friend. You were very quiet during the conversation' the king commented.

'I usually am, for I already know the answer before it is even asked. I will only speak out of necessity and courtesy of others around me'

'I guess you can not see how all this will end yet' a small hope was kindled in Thranduil's heart.

'No. Being a seer allows me many things. But there are too many paths to be chosen and too many choices to be made and that are constantly changing in order for me to tell you an outcome' Anar explained patiently. 'What I can tell you for sure is that Lady Callon will not allow any harm come to your son. That should allow you some comfort. She has too much honor'

'I am happy to hear that, for she looks brave indeed. I am only worried about if she will get along with my son' the Elf could not help but laugh.

'That has yet to be played out before me, but I think they will be good for each other' the seer consoled him 'She is hard like a diamond, maybe because of the terrors she faced. Perhaps your son will soften her, but I will draw caution to your ear if you care to listen'

'Of course I care, everything that could be of our benefit in this case is interesting me' Thranduil reassured him.

'Well, this does not exactly concern your son, but her. There is a man she offended back in the tournament and he has vengeance in his heart for being embarrassed. He already plans to avenge that and I fear what he may do when she is presented as a woman. She would be offended if we brought this to her attention, but it is something that we should still keep an eye on'

'You are right, I remember their argument' Thranduil agreed and Kane nodded as well. 'When he finds out that he was defeated by a woman, his rage will be terrible and if he uses cunning ways to take his revenge, I fear not even her entire bravery will be enough. Do you have something in mind?'

'She will not leave Legolas's side. I hope that alone will be enough to prevent him from acting foolishly. But his actions are for the most part clouded from me. The man can not come to a decision on how to proceed. I say, we observe for now until I can see what his true plans are'

'This would be the best way to move on in this matter and then we can warn Lady Callon'

**A/N: Ok, folks, that was it for noe, we hope you liked it. So, Legolas's body guard will be a woman, Callon (the name means "heroine", by the way), who has quite an attitude ;)**


	6. Chapter 6: The magic of the kin

**A/N: Hey, guys, how's everything going? The last chapter ended with Legolas insisting to forbid Callon to watch over him and with Callon insisting to stay. In this chapter, which is written by Ashley, the first step of reconciliation is made :)**

**T3lis- Thanks a lot for both reviews, my friend, I'm happy you like it so much :D I'm sure you'll like Callon even more as the story develops ;)  
**

**Guest- Thank you, hope you'll like this chapter too**

**Disclaimer: Nope, we still don't own LOTR.**

Legolas had chosen to leave the council meeting before completely losing his temper. He walked in a quick pace with purpose the archery fields, for he needed to rid himself of the rage he felt boiling inside him. Soon enough, his beloved targets would become the target for every emotion he was feeling; rage, embarrassment, pride and, nearly, hate. No, he had never found himself to hate anyone, but in just that few moments while in council, Callon had dug her way under his skin. She made him feel like a child and he wanted to hate her for that. He felt as if he should hate her, though he knew this was not of her doing. It was the doing of his pride, and if not kept in check, it would be his undoing.

As soon as Legolas reached the field, he took his bow and arrows and without thought let his arrows fly. One right after the other, the arrows flew through the air, never once missing their intended target. Callon had followed him to the fields, as she had promised to his father. However, her presence remained unknown to the other Elf while she sat in a tree as he fired at the random targets.

As she observed him, she saw he had skill, talent, a keen eye, but most of the childlike appearance he had once held was gone. Now all she could see before her was the pure embodiment of a warrior. No emotion lit his face with the exception of determination and purpose to hit every target as if they were Orcs out for the slaughter. Having enough of this, Callon knew she would have to talk to him sooner or later. She chose the former. Not having the knowledge that Legolas was unaware of her presence with him, she unceremoniously jumped from the tree, startling Legolas who was taking aim for his next shot. Turning to see what the possible threat was, he let his arrow fly before the recognition that it was Callon even crossed his mind. By luck, she was able to catch the arrow right before hit home, right between her eyes.

'That was a nice shot' Callon spoke while tossing the arrow of to the side, while Legolas just stared at her in embarrassment. First he disrespected her in council and now he nearly killed her!

_Surely she must consider me a fool!_ Legolas thought to himself.

Seeing the distress across Legolas's face, Callon spoke up to try and ease the tension that clung to air.

'Do not worry, I know that the shot was an accident. No harm no foul, let us not dwell or discuss it past this point, in fact nobody should need to know of this. However, I do admire your skill and perhaps one of these days you could lend aid to me, so I could rival you one day' she said with a wink. 'Legolas, will you take a walk with me? You and I need to be more acquainted with each other and there is someone I would have you meet'

Shock overtook the young prince. Not only was she not angry at him for nearly being shot in the head, but she then complemented him on his skill with his bow. Surely she should be insane, though someone would need to be in order to accept this mission. But with a light smile he agreed to come with her. Unsure of who it was he needed to meet, or why it would be important, but he felt after nearly shooting her, he did owe her one. So he left with her without statement or question.

Both walked in comfortable silence until they reached the stables. It was then Legolas broke the quiet that hung around them.

'You bring me to meet someone in the stables? Perhaps a stable hand you have found yourself taken with, my lady?' he teased her, smiling.

Callon stopped abruptly, facing Legolas and having him nearly walk right into her.

'Let us clear a few things up before we enter here, Legolas. No, I am not smitten with anyone. And you must forget the title 'my lady'. Please, it is just Callon. Or, if you wish, Cal, but never 'my lady'. I am not one for titles, as you surely have observed by now. Do we have an understanding?' she calmly waited while he gathered his bearings about him.

'I did not mean to offend you and from now on you shall only be Callon to me. Now, may we please continue? You have me rather curious as to who I am to be meeting, because I hear nothing but horses in the stable' he coolly responded.

With that issue resolved, Callon continued walking into the stables, until she stood in front of a horse. It was as black as the darkest night, with years of wisdom in her eyes.

'Legolas, I want to introduce you my best friend, Vanya. She has been my closest companion for many years now. It only seems right that you two become acquainted with one another. Please, step forward, for she would like to be able to fully see you'

Hesitating, Legolas came to stand in front of Vanya, reaching his hand out, as if asking permission to touch the creature. Vanya closed the gap between them, allowing his hand rest on the top of her head, stroking it gently. The mare let out a sound of pure content, causing a smile to appear on Callon's face.

'She admires you, Legolas, which gives me great comfort and joy. Not only will you have me at your side, but she will protect you as well'

Legolas looked at her in pure wonder, impressed by the strength and gentleness her words were reflecting.

'It is known among our kin to understand the feelings of all living things, but it is as if you know what she is thinking! How is this possible? I have heard stories that some of the first Elves here could speak with and through them, but I have never thought them more than just stories'

Callon looked down, but her voice was calm when she answered his question.

'I will give you the answers you seek out, as long as you take everything I am about to say as truth and have no doubt in my words. Promise me that and you will get your answers' Taking time to think, he gave her his word that he would listen and trust in her words.

'The line of Elves I hail from is old, very old' she started. 'We were the first to begin speaking with animals, rather than just understanding them. There are also few of us who can take to their mind and use their bodies as if it were our own. I know the notion must seem foreign to you, but Vanya and I can actually speak to each other, which is how I know she admires you. My friend has seen something in your eyes, but refuses to tell me anything else on the matter'

'What do you mean use their bodies? That is something I do not understand' Legolas stated.

'One day I will show you, but right now it is not exactly appropriate. The easiest way for me to explain is that I simply allow my mind or spirit to enter the animal. If they are willing, I can see through their eyes and can control their bodies as if it was my own. This gives me a huge advantage, but a great disadvantage as well, for if I take the form of an animal my body is left in a sleep like state, vulnerable'

Legolas, was again at a loss for words. He had not heard of an Elf having the ability or strength of mind to be able to do something on such as a scale, but it was remarkable.

'Thank you for sharing that with me, Callon' he said sincerely. 'I hope one day to see this in demonstration as you have promised. Now, let us say our farewells to Vanya and I will show you to where you will be staying while you are here' He stood up, reaching his hand to help Callon on her feet. Together they both walked back to the palace in light conversation.

What had gone unnoticed by both the Elves was the man who had seen the event that had transpired in the stables. He knew that cloak. He knew that voice. Most of all he knew those eyes. He could never forget those eyes. The anger that he was already filled with quickly turned to blinded rage. How could he have ever been bested by a woman? She had embarrassed him on purpose, he knew this. A slight by her that he would not allow to go unpunished.

**A/N: Ok, guys, that was it for now. We hope you liked it. I warn you, next chapter will be...quite dramatic, if you understand me.**


	7. Chapter 7: More dangers and plans

**A/N: Well, well, guys, I have to warn you again. This chapter has pretty much violence, so, if you think you can't endure it, skip this part. Anyway, I hope you'll like it. This chapter was written by me, except the attack, which is written by Ashley. **

**Disclaimer: WOOHOOO! We own 'Lord of the Rings' (Tolken: I beg your pardon?) Just kidding, just kidding!**

Having been shown to her sleeping quarters, which had noticeably been placed right next to Legolas's room, Callon had no desire to rest. She wanted to have the feeling of air beneath her wings and the feeling of freedom taking flight bestowed upon her. Relaxing on the bed, she closed her eyes and sought out a willing bird as a host. Only taking a few minutes, she had joined her spirit with that of a hawk and taken flight over Mirkwood, her new home for the time being.

Dorian had followed her and the prince long enough to know where she would be sleeping and, returning to the men loyal to him, they devised a plan. They had also been outraged by the fact that a woman had been able to defeat and outsmart them and all sought revenge against her. Dorian took five men with him back into the palace, where Callon's body laid, seeming to be asleep. Much to their surprise, it was extremely easy to both get into the palace and her quarters, but the thought did not linger long. Knowing time was of the essence, the men silently entered her room and made for their attack.

Dorian had instructed each man to tie her limbs down to the bed so she would be fully restrained from the torments he had planned for her. He reached to his boot and removed his knife, but upon seeing the ones at her bed side, he opted for them instead. What a blow it would be to her, abused by her own weapons that were meant to protect her! What surprised him, was that Callon had not heard them.

_Surely she should have woken up by now._

Even though, leaving the thought at that, Dorian and his men began their assault. They beat her simultaneously with various weapons: clubs, whips, chains and even knives. Dorian had taken to stab the young woman, not holding any rage back. Commanding his companions to pause, he admired his handy work. What lay before him was the image of a broken woman, beaten, bloodied, bruised and, most importantly, weak. Her sight caused a wave of desire in his body, desire to hurt her even more, beyond any point.

In a sudden, Callon woke up gasping for air. What met her waking eyes was the sight of a man she had fought and she felt nothing but pain. She tried to fight him off of her, until the realization that she was fully bound sunk in. It was only then she made a cry for help and prayed to the Valar that help would come to her soon. But only seconds later, the door swung open and Legolas rushed inside, followed by Anar, both men fully armed.

'I knew something was wrong!' the seer shouted, unsheathing his sword. 'My visions were too dark!'

Callon's hazel eyes met Legolas's blue ones. The man she had promised to protect had saved her. If the situation was not so serious, she would laugh loudly at the irony she was facing. Dorian followed her eyes and smiled ironically at the Elf.

'Did you come to save your princess, princeling?' he asked and his voice was dark and vicious. 'I am sorry to disappoint you, but you came very late!'

'I would think about this again, if I were you!' Legolas hissed, fitting an arrow on his bow. 'Go away from her at once and I will ease your passing!'

At that moment, he heard someone running into the chamber. The next thing he saw was Kane grabbing Dorian from his shirt and throwing him against the wall, breaking his neck with a scaring sound, while Anar and Legolas were taking care of his followers, leaving none alive.

'I never liked this fellow from the beginning' Kane stated, looking furiously at Dorian.

'I agree with you' Anar's black eyes were narrowed because of his worry. 'I had even warned King Thranduil about the danger Lady Callon's life was in because of him. I had said nothing, though, because I did not know his true plans'

'How many times do I have to tell you that you must forget the title 'Lady'?' Callon complained, speaking with difficulty, making everybody turn towards her and Legolas untie her with quick moves.

'You are wounded!' his voice had lost its gentleness and was full with fear and guilt. 'Anar, Kane, would you please go and fetch some herbs? And a healing potion to ease the pain'

'Certainly, my Prince'

Callon wanted to resist, but she knew nobody would listen to her. She hated laying like this, covered in blood, her whole body hurting and Legolas staring at her as if she was a little girl.

Legolas's heart broke when he saw her like this, feeling that he was right to be extremely worried about her. Only hours after she was told she would watch over him and her life was already threatened.

'I knew it!' he spoke out loud and the she-elf looked surprised at him.

'What exactly did you know?' she wanted to know, frowning.

'That it was a bad idea to allow you to look after me!' he raised his voice, trying to make her take the right decision. 'Do you not see this, Callon?'

'Do not start again, please!' she shouted.

'No, I will!' he shouted back, jumping on his feet. 'How irrational can you be? If someone wants to kill you only the same day you decided to protect me, what do you think will happen after a month?'

'Dorian is not the one who wishes you dead, you fool of an Elf!' now she was speaking so loudly, that Legolas was afraid she would lose her voice. 'Dorian is a man I fought with during the tournament! I defeated him and he swore revenge! Probably he followed me. I was away when he attacked me, I had taken a bird as a host, and he used the chance! Do you understand now?'

Her words stopped Legolas's words. He had thought this man was behind his murder attempt and he would never guess that there was another reason.

'So, you insist on staying here?' he made another attempt.

'Yes, Legolas, I insist and nothing can change my opinion on this issue' she gave him her word.

At that moment, Kane and Anar entered the room, holding herbs and a goblet with the potion Legolas had required.

'Your voices can be heard to the end of the corridor' Kane commented. 'What are you two fighting about again?'

'That is for us to know, Kane, and for you to stay out of it' was Callon's answer and Legolas could not help but smile. Even now, injured and weak, Callon had not lost her sarcasm. He thought about Gimli and, at the thought of him meeting Callon, he had to suppress a laughter.

Callon woke up very early the next day, enjoying the sunlight falling on her face. She rose on her bed, wincing slightly. The damage Dorian and his men had caused to her body were worse than she wanted to admit. Except the severe bruises, she was bleeding yesterday, for she was hit with a whip, she had several broken ribs, stab wounds and gashes in various places on her body. Her ribs felt a lot better, thanks to the healing potion and the herbs, but the wounds and the bruises would need a few days to recover. Even though, Callon managed to stand up and walk outside, with her quiver around her shoulder and trying to ignore the pain. Despite her wounds, she was still the prince's protector and she had to be ready every second, whether she was in good health or not.

She started throwing arrows at random targets and smiled satisfied when she noticed that she rarely missed the centre. Like Legolas yesterday, her practice was helping her to burst out her feelings, the rage and the hate towards Dorian, but also the anger towards herself.

_Why did I choose to transfer my spirit in a bird's body? And in the middle of the night as well! The night is the perfect opportunity for someone to attack. And what if it was not me, but Legolas who would be abused yesterday? I would fly carefree and he could die because of me!_

'Look who has woken up!' she was greeted by a friendly voice and saw Kane approaching her, mysterious and scaring. 'Should you not rest?'

'I am well, thank you for your concern' Callon appreciated his concern, but she knew that, if there was a man instead of her, he would not be that worried.

'Of course you are well' Kane had already realized how stubborn she was and thought the best was to play with her terms. 'I just wanted you to know that, if you have any problems, you may feel free to come and seek my advice'

'Let us make this clear, Kane, in order to work together in friendship' Callon said angrily. 'I may be a woman, but I am anything but weak! I can face my problems alone and I do not need anybody's worry or advice!'

'Attacked?' King Thranduil gasped after listening carefully to Anar's story. The seer's wise, black eyes, were looking sad and worried at him and he was giving the impression of being elder than he truly was.

'She had very serious wounds, my King, including broken ribs, gashes and bruises. We gave her herbs and potions and she is better now. But the most important fact is that Dorian showed his true face, although much sooner than I had expected. If we did not come to her aid in time, I do not want to think what would happen to her'

'So' the Elvenking responded 'now we have the attack against her and the one who threatens my son's life, who is still free. I fear the situation could not get worse, my friend'

'You are right to believe this, my lord' Anar nodded. 'Lady Callon has already the duty to never leave your son's side, but now this duty is even more urgent, for the safety of both of them. But there is something I was thinking about the whole night. We must find an excuse for the lady's permanent presence around the prince'

'I give you right, but what could we say? Certainly not the truth, for it could be heard by the assassin'

'With your permission' Anar smiled softly, but slyly 'may I suggest something? We could pretend that Lady Callon and Prince Legolas are betrothed. This way, nobody will suspect anything about why she is constantly next to him'

Thranduil thought about this plan for many minutes. It was a safe plan and nobody would guess the truth. Of course, he knew how Legolas would react. He would be furious, thinking that Callon's life would me more endangered. But it was the only way to keep the secret hidden and the two young Elves secure.

'So be it'

**A/N: Well, guys, another chapter has come to an end. A fake betrothal...Will this work? And how will Callon and Legolas react when they hear the news? ;)**


	8. Chapter 8: Fake celebrations

**A/N: Hello, my friends, how are you? Here we are again :) We had left from the point where Thranduil agrees to spread the lie about the fake betrothal, but the big question is how Legolas and Callon will react. The overprotective prince vs. the stubborn she-elf...not exactly the easiest thing, right? This chapter was written by Ashley, after a lot role-playing.**

**Disclaimer: All rights of LOTR belong to Tolkien.**

The day after Thranduil spoke with Anar on the matter of explaining the mysterious elleth near his son, he made himself ready to take up council with his son and his protector. With a heavy sigh he took his seat, waiting for Legolas and Callon to arrive, for he knew this was going to be an extremely unpleasant conversation. The king knew his son well, so he knew he would take his new role with the honor and dignity that was expected of a prince. However, he was unsure of how the lady would react. She had a fiery spirit, that was for sure, reminding him much of how his wife was. It was that trait alone that caused him worry, for she would either except what he had to say or would absolutely defy him.

Legolas made his way to his father's council chambers with the ever present Callon right behind him. He was unsure of what to expect, assuming that it was to discuss matters on Callon's attack just two nights ago. He was uncertain, a very unfamiliar feeling to him, making him uneasy. This did not remain unnoticed by Callon, who broke the unwavering silence between them.

'Is everything alright, Legolas?' she asked concerned. 'You look disturbed, as if something haunts you.'

'I am fine, Callon' he smiled reassuringly towards her. 'The events of two nights prior simply weigh heavy on my mind. You are not yet healed, nor are you healing as you should be and that does worry me. I feel as if you should be resting, but instead, here you are, guarding me in my own home when it is unnecessary'

Stunned by his confession, Callon stayed speechless as they entered the Kings council chambers.

'My son, please, sit. You as well, Callon, for there are matters that the two of you must know. But first, Callon, how do you fare? You still look unwell to my eyes' Thranduil spoke, looking worried at the young maiden.

Taken aback by his politeness, she simply gave a small smile to the king's question.

'I am well enough' she answered. 'My injuries are nothing of note and should not trouble either you or your son. But I do doubt that you called us both here to discuss how I am feeling, am I wrong? Please, share with us whatever has seemed to be stirring in your head for a while'

'Very well, my lady' the king said, surprised by the strength her words were reflecting. 'It seems that you wish to get straight to the point. After much discussion and small debates, it has been decided on how we can explain the presence of an elleth always at my son's side, or not far from it. Tomorrow I will announce to the realm that the two of you are betrothed. Then, a week from today, a ball to celebrate the prince finding his mate will be held. This is where you, my son, will present Callon to the people of our beloved home.'

Saying what he wanted to say, Thranduil waited, knowing that surely one of them would speak out of place. Both looked shocked beyond belief. Legolas looked as if he was being forced to marry an Orc, as for Callon, she just turned a lovely shade of pink and then red, as if she was angry. Much to the king's surprise, she quickly calmed and was the first to speak.

'If that is what you wish, then I will see it done, understanding that I have no say in the matter' Callon whispered. Thranduil gave her a polite smile of acceptance and turned to his son.

'What about you, Legolas? Do you not have anything to say?'

Being pulled from the state of shock the news had put him in, Legolas stood up with such force, that it caused his chair to fly backwards, making both his father and Callon gasp.

'Ada, no,, I will and can not do this. Not only would it be a lie the both of us would have to be part of, but it would put her in even more danger. I am sorry, but I will not follow through on this!'

Thranduil never even had a chance to get a word in before Callon placed her hand up, in signal that he should not speak. He saw that look in her eye, the look he had grown to know very well, so he simply sat back in his chair and watched the events unfold before him.

'Am I that displeasing that you could not even pretend that we are to wed?' she asked the young prince, with her voice being no longer a whisper. 'I promise I am not that horrible. And before you embarrass yourself and your house even further, I advise that you stop acting like a child. For the love of the Valar, you are known to be a great warrior and a warrior does not act so foolishly! It is only a simple task that has been laid before us. Why do you reject it so?'

When he first met her, Legolas had felt the sudden desire to hate her. Now he was feeling the same desire, for he knew very well that she was right. But her determined voice and the way she was speaking to him was making him feel like a child. With a heavy sigh of defeat, he bent down to place the chair back upright to retake his seat in order to settle his nerves. After several moments of silience, he looked to her with hurt in his eyes.

'I do not wish to disrespect you, Callon' he said sincerely. 'I hold the highest regard for you and what you are doing. What frightens me is not that we would have to act as if we were betrothed, but that this will put you in more danger. As a warrior, I can not except that, for I know my enemy will find out of this and aim to use this against me. But I have no other choice, my father's will shall be done. And in a week's time, I will present you as the soon to be princess of Mirkwood'

'Excellent! Now that we all agree, I will take my leave, as I have others matter to attend to. Go enjoy the day that has begun' With that, Thranduil stood and left the room without looking back at the two left still sitting in silent shock.

'Av-'osto, Legolas, no harm will come to me of this' Callon tried to comfort him. 'And if your theory holds true, then perhaps I could be used as bait. That way we could easily kill the one who is after you, allowing you to go back to your normal life. Before you try to argue about that one as well, will you accompany me to the archery fields so we might get in some practice?'

'Very well, you stubborn woman' Legolas sighed. 'But let it be known that I will not use you as bait and it will be me and not you who kills the man after me. I mean to keep you out of harm's way and I will keep to that. So, do not try and fool yourself into thinking you are protecting me in any way'

Laughing at his sudden sense of pride, all Callon could do was shake her head at the Elf,

' Very well then, my Prince, I shall allow whatever fantasy you have in your head to continue, but you will soon understand that I am needed. Now, come, let us rid ourselves of this in favor of friendly competition'

After the announcement of the prince being betrothed, the whole kingdom was in an uproar. Everyone seemed busy doing something to prepare for the celebration to come and all were guessing who the girl could be. But there was one person in Mirkwood who was not happy about the announcement. In fact, it was a certain Dwarf, Gimli. He had been hurt by the news that reached his ears, sure that he was close enough with the Elf to gain notice before others. With hurt feelings and wounded pride, he quickly sought out the Elf. Knowing exactly where to find him, he stormed into the archery fields.

'You pointy-ear, when were you planning on telling me that you found a lady? Did you ever think to personally tell me or just let me hear the news from those that I do not know?' he yelled. 'And surely you would have introduced me by now! Speak, Elf, why have you left me in the dark?'

'Gimli, my dear friend, I am sorry for not telling you sooner, but it does come with its complications and there is much that must be left unknown to all. But I can at least make the introductions' Smiling because of the Dwarf's outburst, Legolas looked up into a tree. 'Callon, could you please come down for a moment? My friend here wishes to meet you.' Not a second later, Callon jumped from the tree, landing right behind Gimli, nearly causing him to jump out of his boots. Through bits of laughter, Legolas was able to introduce the two of them, but not without effort.

'So, this is the girl everyone is talking about! Well, she is a pretty one' Gimli stated. 'It is strange, though, how you have a scar on your face, lass. I thought you Elves had extreme healing powers"

Before she even could open her mouth to answer, Merry strolled out from behind a tree, with Pippin following him, as always in a good mood.

'Gimli, do not be rude to a lady' Merry looked reproachfully to his friend. 'I am sure she has a good reason for still having a scar and it adds character as well'

'And who is this who comes to my aid so quickly?' Callon asked with a smile both on her face and in her voice.

'Callon, I would like you to meet Merry and Pippin, they are also dear friends of mine' Legolas mumbled, placing desperately his hands on his head. 'It was Merry who spoke up for you, though I do advise you to be cautious around these three. They are known for causing mischief wherever they go. I would keep a close eye on them if I were you'

'I see. Well, gentlemen, it was a great pleasure to meet you, but I was having the most interesting conversation with a creature up in that tree and did promise to return. So, until we meet again, my friends' Giving a curtsey, she gracefully climbed back up into the tree to retake her perch. She had full advantage up her, for she had the high ground. The tree allowed her eyes to see any dangers and the animals were kind enough to alert her of anything that was astray within the forest. Like a certain prince, it was the trees that brought her great comfort and solace.

As the week went on, the excitement in the air grew in response to upcoming ceremonies. No amount of work, wine, food, and decorations had been spared. In the grand celebration hall, streams of gossamer hung from the ceiling while being intertwined with flowers of all sorts. Candles were lit in every place possible, making it seem as if the shadows were truly alive. And the night was a blissful one, with not a cloud in sight and a perfect full moon to accompany the night, lifting spirits ever higher, considering this as a sign and a blessing from the Valar that this union was meant to be.

All who could fit gathered in the hall, waiting for the king and the prince to make their appearance. The wait was not long and as Thranduil and Legolas stepped before the people, all bowed in respect. After a few moments, Thranduil spoke.

'Welcome, my friends! You are here for a great announcement. My son has finally chosen his mate, as you have all heard, and tonight you will look upon her' With a signal from his father, Legolas reached for Callon to join them. All were silent as they looked upon her. She was clad in a gown that flowed with easy at her movements, a color of midnight blue, matching the color of the sky. 'Legolas, please, introduce our people to their new princess.'

Without further instruction, Legolas moved to remove the veil that was hiding Callon's face from the public view, looking ready to collapse at any moment.

'My friends, I have the joy and honor to introduce you the maiden I chose to be my future wife. This is the Lady Callon of Oron'

A chorous of cheers and applause made its way through the crowd. Legolas became absent of mind when he saw her, for tonight she truly was a vision of beauty. Before, he had only seen her as simple and plain, but tonight she shone brighter than the stars. Taking notice that he was staring, Callon smiled politely.

'Should we not join the others in the festivities or shall we simply stand here all night to be looked upon?' she spoke in his ear. Legolas just laughed and took her by the hand.

'Come. I have spotted an old friend of mine, whom I would like to introduce you to'

Walking through the crowd and stopping at brief moments to speak to whoever wished to speak to the prince and his lady, Legolas was finally able to make his way to his destination, pulling Callon up even further he spoke.

'Callon, I would like you to meet Tauriel, an old friend of mine who fought by my side long ago. I believe you two would share much in common. Tauriel, here is the one person I know you can tolerate here in the crowd. But I must leave you two to tend to an angry Dwarf' Kissing Callon on the hand, he walked away in search of Gimli.

'Lady Callon!' Tauriel exclaimed. She was a young and beautiful she-elf, with long, auburn hair and friendly, dark green eyes. 'It gives me such pleasure to finally meet you! Prince Legolas is an acquaintance of mine, my father is a lord of the Woodland Realm.'

Wincing at the word 'lady', Callon shyly gave her a smile.

'Please, just call me Callon, I insist. I have and never will be one for titles. How long have you know the prince? From the way your eyes lit up when seeing him, it is easy to guess that you two hold each other in high regard.'

'Oh, yes, I hold him in high standards, but not anything that is not honorable' Tauriel willingly answered, having misunderstood her words. 'I owe him a debt, for he saved my life once during a battle against some Orcs. That was back, when much evil spread through these lands. But it allowed us to form a strong friendship'

Callon just shook her head and pulled Tauriel off to the side for more privacy, feeling she could trust her.

'Forgive me, you mistook my words, but now I would like to discuss more personal matters with you and if you also wish. You say that you were able to form a close bond with Legolas. Can you tell me how he acts when he is not playing the role of a prince or how to loosen him up around me? He just seems so uptight about everything and perhaps you may be able to shed light on this matter, my friend'

'Uptight? He is anything but uptight, Callon. He loves adventures and being with his close friends. Generally, I have never met a more gentle and loyal man. The only thing that can make him stubborn is when he wishes to protect those he loves' Tauriel replied with a sly smile playing on her lips.

'I am afraid you are wrong in one aspect, Tauriel' Callon blushed. 'He does not love me, we only met a short time ago and have been betrothed out of pure necessity. However, do you have any advice on how I can at least get him to open up to me more?'

Tauriel thought very carefully before answering, understanding that it was a matter of great importance for Callon. In the end she smiled, thinking that she had the proper answer for her new friend.

'If you wish to loosen him, take long walks with him, which always calms him down. His favorite place is the forest, so it would be most helpful if you go there with him. Besides, I think that even your presence can soften him, for he seems to care very much about you'

'That sounds like a good plan, one that I would act upon now seeing that Legolas looks rather tormented. Thank you for the advice, it has not fallen upon deaf ears. Please, do not be a stranger to me while you are in these lands. Until we meet again, Tauriel' Callon sighed with relief, gave her new found friend a tight hug and went in search of the Legolas.

After some minutes of search, she spotted him and, sneaking up behind him, quickly grabbed him by the arm.

'Come with me' she whispered, pulled him away and led him into the forest.

Elvish words/phrases used:

Av-'osto: Do not be afraid

**A/N: Alright, guys, that was it for now, hope you liked it. Everything is calm until now, but this will change again in the next chapter. Can't wait for your reviews.**


	9. Chapter 9: I am here to save you

**A/N: Hey, guys, what's up? I'm terribly sorry for the long delay, I was only missing on vacation and had no internet. Here we are again and, as you remember, we left our friends at their fake betrothal. They spend some minutes together, everything seems peaceful, but then...all hell breaks loose. The chapter is very long, I have to warn you.  
**

**Water- No need to worry about your flames, your review is really interesting. To be honest, Ashley and I have realized that the story has actually many ways and we had many conversations about how we should continue :)**

**T3lis- I'm glad you think that :) I saw Tauriel in the trailer and liked her, must be a great character. Can't wait to see how she will be in the movie ;)**

**Disclaimer: "Lord of the Rings" still belongs to Tolkien, we only own the characters we create.**

A comfortable silence had fallen between the two Elves, as they were walking in the forest. They could still hear the music and the laughter coming from the castle, but they did not want to return so soon, for isolation was what they needed. Legolas looked secretly at Callon, who was staring in front of her, smiling. It was not the sarcastic smile he was used in, on the contrary, it was a smile full of innocence, as if she truly was the future princess of the Woodland Realm. The warrior was hidden, at least for the moment.

'You caught me off guard, Callon' he commented, smiling softly.

'You may go back, if you wish' she responded, turning to him, her smile becoming playful. 'I will not be offended'

'For the sake of the Valar, no! I hold no love for large crowds and unneeded celebrations. I despise having to be the proper prince my father commands me to be. This is why I am in debt to you for dragging me away'

'I had noticed that you do not like crowds' Callon nodded with sympathy, for she was sharing the same feeling. 'This is why I dragged you away, as you said. I thought you needed to be away from the castle for some time'

'I appreciate that. How did you find your conversation with Tauriel?' Legolas asked curiously, for he was wondering how Callon would behave towards someone who was as restless as she.

'I found her extremely kind and sincere and she gives the impression of a warrior. I believe that she will be a good friend'

'I knew you two would get along. It is good for you that you make a few friends if you are to stay here. May I ask a question to you?' the male Elf hesitated, unable to guess how she would react.

'Certainly, Legolas, whatever you wish' Callon encouraged him.

'I would like to know of Oron, your homeland. What was it like?'

'As you surely have guessed, considering the name, it was in the mountains. I am the eldest of three children, with a brother and a sister following. It was really lovely there' her voice was not urgent or determined, but tender, as she was remembering everything she had lived there. 'My siblings and I were exploring the region and my father taught me to fight, although my mother was not approving it, as I have to add'

She made a small pause to take a deep breath and went on, with Legolas listening carefully to her story.

'Once I was seriously injured and my father told me "Never forget something, Callon. Do not run away from your fears. Look them in the eyes and face them, for only then you can defeat them"'

'That is why you are so stubborn!' Legolas laughed loudly, making her laugh as well. But then he stopped and looked with uncertainty at her. 'I have a few more questions, if you do not mind'

'Ask me anything you want to know. After all, you have to know as many things as possible about your betrothed, have you not?' she chuckled.

She was in extremely good mood tonight, teasing and laughing. Legolas felt guilty, because he was sure that his next question would sadden her. Even though, he had to know, for he wanted to solve the mystery behind her strength.

'I wish to stop rumors about what happened to your home, how and why it was taken' he explained. 'I have heard stories that…that it was overtaken by Men and that the survivors were forced to fight in gaming sports against each other, until all Elves were perished'

Callon abruptly turned away from him, but the prince had already seen that her hazel eyes were suspiciously wet. The young maiden bit her lips, feeling angry for her tears, interpreting them as a sign of weakness. She did not hate him for asking this, though, because she had a feeling that sooner or later she would have to tell him.

'You know, sometimes rumors are much more accurate than I trust them to be' she stated sarcastically. 'The stories you heard are true, Legolas, from the beginning until the end. Some of my kin who were lucky and did not get captured sailed for the Undying Lands. The others, who were held captive, were forced to fight against each other. My parents and my siblings…they all died that way'

'Did you endure such terror? Fighting your kin?'

'Yes' she answered simply, still avoiding his gaze. 'Although I tried to not harm anyone. I was not fighting well at all, for I would rather die myself than kill anyone of my family. This is also how I got my scars'

In a sudden, Legolas stopped her by grabbing her hand, forcing her to finally look at him. He could see the events happening before his eyes and he admired her for having the strength to stand on her feet again. Maybe this was the reason she had taken her mission, to protect him, so seriously.

'I am truly sorry for what happened' he said honestly, gently touching one of her scars. 'Why do you still carry these scars, Callon? Surely they should have faded by now. And how did you escape?'

'During one of these contests' Callon whispered ashamed 'I was forced by those who had captured me to kill someone very dear to me' Her eyes met his and she felt she could trust him with the entire truth. 'Alright, I will not lie to you. It was my own brother whom I should kill. I still…I still remember his eyes. And how he whispered "I do not blame you, sister" before he passed away. After this, I had so much rage inside my soul, that I could gain enough strength to break out of my cell, killing the guards. As for my scars, they did not heal, because I still feel great sorrow when I reminisce these events'

'Callon' Legolas started, not knowing what to say, shocked by everything he had heard 'I wish there were words of comfort I could say to you, but I know none would ease such pain. I thank you for sharing that with me. It has enlightened the mystery that shrouds you'

'I only want to beg you' her voice was reminding the one of a little girl 'to keep it a secret. I am not ready for everyone to know. Do we have an agreement on this matter?'

'No words shall pass through my lips about it, I swear it to you' he promised.

'I believe you. You are one of the few people I can trust with everything'

'Do you trust me so freely already?' Legolas laughed and felt happy when he saw her laughing with him, easing the tension.

'If I did not trust the one I swore to protect, then it would have no sense to look after you' she said, as if she was explaining something obvious.

'I suppose that is true. The night is beautiful, is it not?' he quickly changed the subject.

'It is indeed, but I guess you have to be more careful when it is dark' she agreed with a mysterious, almost vicious voice. 'You never know what lurks in the shadows'

'You are the only thing to fear here' Legolas teased her 'unless the spiders still linger, of course'

Callon stared at him with an odd expression, as if she could not decide if she should laugh or hit him.

'I will take that as a compliment' she winked at him in the end, smiling evilly.

'The very best of compliments'

Suddenly, Legolas stopped walking. He had a feeling of suffocation and he had the impression that somebody was following them.

'Something is not right' he whispered, in order to not draw suspicions and to not scare Callon. The she-elf looked around her, alerted, because her elven ears had caught a noise she did not like at all.

'Am I mistaken' she whispered back 'or do you also hear steps?'

She did not let him answer, acting immediately. Whether there was danger or not, it was her duty to keep him safe.

'Legolas, move on the tree now!' she hissed.

'What is it? What do you see?' her companion asked, not wanting to leave her alone.

'I do not know, but climb on the tree at once!' she insisted, pulling out the two knives she was hiding and searching for what or who was approaching. 'I need eyes above me. Are you armed?'

'Yes, I have my two daggers'

'Keep them close and have your eyes on alert. And now move on the tree, before I throw you!' Callon had to try very hard not to yell.

'Alright, alright, I will' he comforted her, before climbing. 'Only be careful yourself'

She gave him a nod and moved deeper into the forest, towards the footsteps. She came upon a cloaked man, walking with purpose the tree where the prince had climbed on a few seconds ago. Walking quietly behind him, she waited until they were in the clearing before making her presence known.

'Is there anything I may help you with?' she wanted to know, tapping the man on the shoulder with her blade and smiling with confidence. 'Do you seek the prince? If so, you could join me, for I am looking for him as well'

'And who might you be, woman?' the stranger reacted furiously.

'My name is of no concern, but I am out for the prince's head. I assume this is also your purpose?'

From his position, Legolas gasped when he heard her words. He could not figure out what Callon's plan was and if it was wise to let her face the man alone. He did not do anything, though, waiting to see how this situation would go on, but ready to come at Callon's aid at any moment.

'I have no idea what you are talking about' the cloaked man laughed ironically.

'Then why are you here?' Callon placed her hands on her waist and raised her chin.

'I heard the prince is betrothed and I would like to congratulate him' he smiled, but she could not ignore the evil glance in his eyes and the small trace of panic in his voice.

'I have cornered him in this tree' she revealed. 'Go and congratulate him, I am sure he will appreciate it'

Legolas's blue eyes widened. What was only happening? Callon acted as if she was on this man's side. Instead of giving him false information and send him away, she had told him where he was hiding.

'Why are you staring so angrily at me, woman?' the man wondered.

'I know your true desires!' the female warrior raised her voice. 'I see it in your eyes and I do not want to see my award for his head taken away from me! Prince!' she turned to the tree. 'Get down here now!'

_Are you completely insane, Callon? _The young Mirkwood Elf thought. Although he could not understand anything and he had the feeling he was playing a role he had no idea of, he did as he was commanded. The next second, Callon grabbed him by the head and forced him to kneel down, pressing a knife to his throat.

'Help me kill him and we will share the reward!' she suggested to the other man.

'What is going on here?' Legolas could not hold on anymore.

'You must trust me' Callon whispered in Elvish, her voice being unnatural sweet. 'Fight against me, if you do not mind. Everything will go well'

She pushed him to the ground and moved to attack him. Legolas, still confused, but trusting her plan, grabbed her hands and pulled her to the ground with a swift move, with his left hand wrapped around her neck.

'I never harmed a woman' he hissed, in an attempt to be more convincing. 'Do not make me to start with you'

Before either he or Callon could react, the villain grabbed Legolas from behind and pulled him away from Callon.

'I will kill you and then the woman and I will keep the prize for myself!' he told them with a paranoid laughter.

'Just as I thought!' Callon exclaimed and quickly pulled Legolas behind her, taking a blow from a dagger that was meant for him to her leg. 'You proved yourself to be a traitor and now you must die!' Throwing her knives, she reached forward and, with a fearful noise, snapped his neck. 'Traitors are not welcomed in our forest!'

Then she turned to the prince, who was gasping for air, and knelt worried next to him.

'Legolas, are you hurt?'

'No, no, I am alright' he responded. 'You better worry about yourself for once'

'We must get him to your father' she decided, looking with disgust at the man's corpse. 'I had a feeling that something would happen tonight. Whoever is behind all this, he had assumed you would not be careful tonight because of your betrothal, so you would be more vulnerable. This is why I had my knives. I also must apologize for my actions towards you, but I had to be sure that he was here to harm you'

'Thank you, Callon. Thank you for everything'

'Stop thanking me and help me with the body'

'I have to admit, though, that I was right' Legolas laughed as they were heading back to the castle. 'You are the most dangerous being here'

A few minutes later, and while Callon was hiding in a room, Legolas had found his father and was leading him to where she was. Thranduil was not pleased about this, something Callon noticed at once.

'What is so urgent that you pulled me away from your celebration?' he demanded to know. 'Your absence has not gone unnoticed. If we want our people to believe that we are sincere, then…'

'Callon and I had gone for a walk' his son interrupted him. 'While we were talking, someone arrived, someone sent by the one who wishes me dead'

'What happened?' the king looked at the two Elves without his previous anger. 'And where is he?'

'If you would only look towards my feet, you will have your answer' Callon spoke before Legolas could say anything.

When Thranduil saw the mysterious man, he looked at Callon with anger again. Legolas shook his head, predicting how his father would react, since he had made clear from the very first moment that his priority was to interrogate those who were sent to kill him.

'So, you killed him, Callon?'

'Yes' Callon could not understand why he was not happy about this. 'His purpose was to kill your son and, in return, I ended his life. You act as if there is a problem'

'Of course it is a problem!' Thranduil yelled, startling them. 'We needed him alive in order to question him, so we may find the root of this madness and you thoughtlessly killed him before we could even speak to him! I did not consider you a fool, but, clearly, I was wrong!'

'Ada, calm down!' Legolas defended her. 'Do not blame her, for she only wanted to help. This man was determined to find and kill me. He even pretended to be here to congratulate me for my betrothal!'

'You should have stopped her, son!' the king turned to face him. 'The blame lays equally upon your shoulders for my anger! He is dead and now we must wait for the next attack to try and get answers'

'Well, then we will surely have our answers' the prince's voice was marked with irony. 'Or do you think that the one who is behind all this will stop at two murder attempts?'

'I will handle this, Legolas' Callon stepped between the two men. 'I did what I am ordered to do, King Thranduil, protect the prince at all cost. It is not my duty, but Kane's to seek answers, as you told us'

If she was calm until now, this changed the next second, for Callon grabbed Thranduil's robes and threw him against the wall, with Legolas watching in shock.

'I will see all and any who wish to harm Legolas die screaming with pain' her voice was not louder than a deadly whisper. 'I will watch life drain from their eyes as they look into the dark abyss of mine. The enemies will be shown no amount of kindness from me. I do not have a gentle heart and word of it will spread, causing even the bravest men to tremble in my wake'

She released him and stromed out of the room, leaving a heavy silence behind.

'F…Father' Legolas stuttered 'let me talk to her, please. Her intentions are pure and all this must be hard for her, for she has to be watching for enemies all the time'

'Go to her' Thranduil was as shocked as his son because of Callon's outburst. 'I will have the body removed from these halls. But I warn you, her temper seems to rival your mother's one'

'And as far I remember' his son smiled 'that temper was the main reason you felt addicted to her'

'You are correct, ion nin. Now go. You will probably find her in your room, making sure that it is secure'

Thranduil was right. Callon was walking up and down in Legolas's room, her eyes wandering from the window to the doors and to the walls. She was so lost in her thoughts, that she almost did not hear Legolas entering the chamber.

'Legolas, your room provides a huge advantage for a night attack. I am not comfortable with this'

'What do you suggest?' he asked, respecting highly her opinions and the way she was thinking.

'I suggest we put you in a stone room without windows and doors' Seeing his desperate expression, she laughed. 'Do not fear, my friend. Only a Dwarf would be serious about that. But still, we have to think of something. My room is near, but this does not provide much advantage. If you are attacked, I could be too late. My suggestion is' she looked him straight in the eyes and Legolas saw, for one more time, the flame of determination in them 'that we leave this place and seek shelter in Gondor, with your friend, King Aragorn'

The male Elf thought about it for a few minutes. Maybe Callon was right. If they would leave, they would distract the danger from the Woodland Realm and his father, who had also Anar to protect him. Aragorn and Arwen had made Gondor a very secure place and he could calm down from everything he had lived the last days.

'I give you right, this would be useful. Besides' he tried to make the conversation more light-hearted, 'it would be an opportunity for Aragorn and the queen to meet you'

'I do not care about that!' Callon made clear, throwing her hands in the air. Legolas had never seen her that upset again. 'I care more for your safety and clearly the guards here are not doing well! They let a traitor slip past them and into your realm! What would happen if we were still in the hall and not walking at the grounds?' her voice became louder. 'Things could have been much worse and I fear that the next attempt will not be made by one man alone. Your father means to keep you safe, but you are not safe here!'

'Alright, calm down' Legolas rubbed her shoulder. 'We will follow your plan and everything will be well. Do not be afraid, Cal'

Only then he realized he had called her by her nickname and he hoped that she would not notice it. She was unpredictable and he could never know when she would laugh at his comments and jokes or yell at him.

'Fear is not what you see before you. If I was afraid, would I have laid hands on your father, the mighty Elvenking?'

'I suppose no. Know that he is not angry at you. He says that your temper is the same with my mother's'

'I know. He was too shocked to be angry and his guards have not thrown me into a cell yet. By the way, Prince' she smiled slyly and winked towards him 'are you so comfortable with me now that you use my informal name?'

'You had said we should trust each other' Legolas smiled widely. 'So, to say it clear, yes, I feel comfortable around you, although you sometimes scare me'

'Good!' Callon laughed. 'Now prepare your things for the journey, because we leave tomorrow. Send word to your father of the matter, and to the Dwarf as well, for I fear he would kill you if you left him alone around Elves. And I think the Hobbits should come as well, I imagine they will be pleased to see the sight of another dear friend in the coming days. I will retire to my chambers, if you need me, just scream'

'I will do that' he nodded. 'But try to rest and I am not saying this as an imply that you are weak, for I know that you are anything but weak'

'Legolas, it is alright to be weak, it is not alright to show it'

'I think that showing weakness is what makes you a human being. It also shows that you have strength enough to look your fears in the eye' he repeated her father's words and Callon smiled warmly.

'Wise words from a wise man. Now, can this dress be fixed? It is stained with blood'

'I am afraid I am not an expert in this matter' Legolas burst out laughing. 'I will send someone to you to look at the damage'

'Thank you. I know your father would want it to remain whole, since it belonged to your mother'

Legolas smiled at the thought of his mother, but then he noticed how tired Callon looked, her face being much paler than it was normal.

'Callon? Is anything wrong? You do not look well' he commented scared.

'Ah' she made a movement with her hand 'it is nothing. It is only due to the events of the night. I need to rest and prepare my things for tomorrow and so need you'

'Until tomorrow then' Legolas bowed slightly towards her, watching her as she was leaving the room.

**A/N: Ok, everyone, that was it. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and we can't wait for your reviwes :) xx**


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